Posts Tagged ‘History’
Dracula in Fiction and History
Dracula tales, legends, and myths fly around faster than a vampire fleeing from sunlight. Dr. Gemma Masson explains Bram Stoker’s famous novel, “Dracula,’ and then goes on to explain the various histories behind Dracula’s namesake – Vlad Dracula, the Romanian Prince. Along the way, she discusses how attributes from Count Dracula have been attributed to…
Read MoreClement Attlee, 1945, and the Year of Hope in Britain
Professor Richard Toye talks about a pivotal year in British history – 1945. The end of war, a landslide election for the Labour Party under Clement Attlee, and the start of the modern British welfare state. He explains why Labour won the election, why Churchill and the Conservatives lost, and what the Labour government of…
Read MoreColumbus and the Taino People
The story of Columbus and the Taino people is fascinating, and is made even more fascinating by Kate Messner’s analysis of it in this episode. She explains who the Taino people were, how they discovered Columbus, and what happened during and after their encounter. Kate’s “History Smashers” series is a fantastic way to understand history…
Read MoreChristopher Columbus Myths Large and Small!
Sebastian Major, the producer and host of the “Our Fake History” podcast, explains the myths about Christopher Columbus, who “discovered” the New World. Sebastian schools Professor Buzzkill about where the myths came from and about their larger significance for American history. You will learn dozens of new things about the history of Columbus, and about…
Read MoreHands of Time: a Watchmaker’s History
Dr. Rebecca Struthers, an academic expert on horology and an award-winning watchmaker, guides us through the fascinating history of wristwatches, and their importance to social history. These seemingly mundane and utilitarian objects can tell us a fascinating story about our changing attitudes toward keeping track of time. From Elizabethan fashion, to World War I battlefields,…
Read MoreHeather Cox Richardson on Saving Democracy – Wisdom Wednesday!
Listen to “Heather Cox Richardson on Saving Democracy – Wisdom Wednesday!” on Spreaker. When it comes to the crush of the American daily news cycle, Heather Cox Richardson has always taken the long view. The New England-based historian gained wide popularity writing casual, history-informed summaries of the news — a perspective millions of readers were…
Read MoreMcCarthy and McCarthyism: American Demagoguery During the Cold War
Senator Joseph McCarthy was one of the most notorious politicians in American history. He made wild accusations, ruined the lives and careers of countless people, and stained American politics with investigative tactics similar to those in Stalin’s Soviet Union. Just as important, however, was McCarthyism. Professor Philip Nash explains all in this gripping episode that…
Read MoreNaming Gotham: The Villains, Rogues and Heroes Behind New York’s Place Names
Why are New York’s roads, bridges, buildings, and institutions named after certain people? Who were those people and why did they matter so much? Professor Rebecca Bratspies explains all in this fascinating romp through not only New York history, but also the history of the practice of naming things after individuals, and the complex specifics…
Read MoreCoffee with Hitler: Civilized Diplomacy?
“How might the British have handled Hitler differently?” remains one of history’s greatest “what ifs.” Dr. Charles Spicer tells us the astounding story of how a handful of amateur British intelligence agents wined, dined, and befriended the leading Nazis between the wars. With support from royalty, aristocracy, politicians, and businessmen, they hoped to use the…
Read MoreAnarcha: One of the Mothers of Gynecology
Anarcha was a young enslaved woman who was operated on by J. Marion Sims, the now-discredited 19th-century “father of modern gynecology.” Author J.C. Hallman has made many important discoveries about the life of Anarcha and the malpractice of Sims. His “Say Anarcha” excavates history, deconstructs the biographical smoke screen of a surgeon who has falsely…
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